Fatal Error
by Scordatura
Summary: This is a story about the innocent bystander who played the part of the fool when he thought he could make a difference. Rated M for now though I think it's mainly T as of the first few chapters.
1. Misfortune

A/N: This is the first chapter story I've ever done that wasn't a oneshot series or a bunch of drabbles. I hope I do okay on it, and I hope you all enjoy it. (I can't count how many times my sister has given me titles for stories... This title is also of her creation.)

 _Disclaimer:_ _I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin or Tokyo Ghoul. Shingeki no Kyojin is owned by Hajime Isayama and Tokyo Ghoul belongs to Sui Ishida._

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Chapter 1 - Misfortune

 _This isn't a story where the lead role belongs to the normal college student who likes to read. This is a story about the innocent bystander who played the part of the fool when he thought he could make a difference. They are both, however, tragedies._

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When it came to knowledge, Armin Arlert was the kind of smart that procured straight A's, tests with little to no flaws, and a promising future. It was only when a shortcut through a dark alley came into play that his knowledge and common sense wavered. In the 20th Ward, most gave one of these daunting, narrow paths a raised eyebrow and an unenthusiastic, 'Hell no.' In Armin Arlert's case, a potentially disappointing grade for a monster of a test waited for him.

"I'm just as opposed to the idea as you, but I don't want to get a poor grade just because I was foolish enough to grab one of my textbooks without even looking at the cover," Armin repeated into his cellphone for the third time as he stopped to wait for traffic. He darted across the street when he saw an opening, slowing to a jog as he hurried down the sidewalk. "Eren, I'll be fine. Besides, it's too late for me to turn around now since I'm only a block away." This little bit of information wasn't necessarily true, but Armin didn't want to give his friend any more reason to continue nagging and worrying.

As he continued along, nodding tiredly at his friend's feeble attempts to get him to forget about good grades for once, Armin began running the numbers through his head. Walking home took about a half hour, and he'd already been halfway home when he'd checked to see if he had the right book. Fate had snickered cruelly and he'd given the dusk sky a brief, helpless glance before turning and trudging back in the direction of the school. It was only by chance Eren had called, inquiring if the blonde wanted to quickly head over so they could both study together.

"I'll be getting home at a later time anyway, so what's another minute or two?" Armin now asked weakly, wincing at Eren's cry of indignation. Actually, the time he would arrive at home was truly something to cringe at, hence why Armin's next move was done out of complete desperation.

"Eren, I'm walking up to the school now," Armin lied, stopping just before the opening of a dark, gloomy alley. "I'll let you know when I get back, alright?" His friend mumbled a begrudging, 'Fine,' and Armin swiftly snapped his phone shut, stuffing it into the pocket of his jacket. Before him lay his potential, creepily cliché shortcut, and if Armin had learned anything from the horror movies he always squinted at through splayed fingers, it was that horrid creatures lay in such places. However, as previously stated, his grade was on the line. Cutting through the alley would save time waiting for traffic at busy intersections.

Armin took the first step into the narrow lane, shivered, and continued as hastily and silently as he could. Each footfall sounded like a firecracker in the suddenly quiet night, and his pace quickened. It wasn't until he was halfway through the hellish shortcut that he slowed a mere fraction, willing his racing pulse to cool down. He tried to reassure himself with the fact he hadn't seen any ghoul sightings on the news for awhile, but then remembered he hadn't turned on his TV for a few days. When it came to massive tests, he became the most unsocial butterfly in school, so it was no wonder he hadn't heard of any ghoul activity. Not even from his own friends who chose to avoid such gruesome topics, especially Eren, which was surprising considering how irrational he could get about the smallest things.

Armin breathed a sigh upon seeing the road again along with a handful of cars passing by. Any fear currently threatening to spill over was somewhat unnecessary. He had to keep a death grip on a positive attitude. This wasn't a stupid idea. This wasn't a stupid idea. This wasn't—

Something moved in the shadows and a dumpster lid rattled from the impact of some unknown object. Armin's spine wrenched upwards and refused to let him take another step. He couldn't even turn to look over his shoulder.

T _hat was just a rat, wasn't it?_ He thought wearily, swallowing. The action felt like a shard of glass inching down his throat. _A big rat... I'm not a fan of rats, but it is a good deal more fortunate to come across a rat than a ghoul...It's a rat. Most definitely a rat._

A few blocks away he could hear the train racing by on the tracks, bringing him back to reality. Shaking himself sternly, Armin lifted a stiff foot and took another step forward.

The one motion carried him farther than a mere step would have, and his mouth suddenly overflowed with a mixture of gravel and blood before he could even register the sensation of hitting the side of a blonde cried out in pain as his face slid painfully along the brickwork, sending gashes through his cheek. He hit the pavement hard, shooting sparks of pain up the right side of his body and adding to the flurry of stars behind his eyes.

"Now isn't this a precious, late evening snack," came a cool, smug voice. The words sent a shudder through Armin, and he weakly turned his spinning head, eyes falling upon his attacker. It was a younger woman, probably only five or six years older than himself. She had pale blonde hair that had been viciously tied back, and her mouth was contorted in a wicked sneer as heartless, crimson pupils eyed him from a black abyss.

 _A ghoul?_ Armin stared at the creature, too stunned to breath. _It can't be a ghoul. These things don't just happen, not as easily and horribly as this._

Unfortunately, though the younger teen tried to convince himself, he knew that wasn't the case. When he did watch TV, ghoul sightings on the news always spoke of sad, unfortunate individuals simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was just another example, another news story. Another tragedy.

His blood curdling scream of pure terror only added to the ghoul's already gleeful expression as she looked down at her cornered, trembling prey. She raised her hands, cracking her fingers grotesquely before calmly advancing on him.

"My boss is quite the inconvenience when it comes to who eats in his territory," the ghoul sighed, crouching down beside her paralyzed catch. "It's been awhile since I caught a meal I didn't have to surrender to his gluttonous appetite. You're an excellent prize."

Armin shrank back, flattening himself against the side of the building and racing through the flurry of thoughts in his head, attempting to seize one that could help. He couldn't make a run for it, that was suicide, yet sitting here like an obedient entree assured a painful death. Fighting was pointless, and who was going to come to his aid if he screamed again—

The teen's eyes widened as he remembered his phone still tucked away in his pocket. He could call someone—anyone, just so long as he got a few brief seconds away from the crazy monster before him.

"Please," Armin began in a quivering voice, raising a hesitant arm as though to wield off the ghoul. His right hand creeped towards his pocket and the reassuring weight of his phone. He didn't even have to pull it out. All he needed was to flip it open and press a few buttons...

The ghoul's head twisted sharply and her red pupils dilated, instantly fixating on the movements of his right hand. With a growl, she lashed out, catching his arm and tearing it from his coat pocket, watching with smug satisfaction as his cell phone was ripped from his grasp. It soared momentarily through the night sky before clattering next to the dumpster, far out of Armin's desperate reach.

"Trying to call for help?" the ghoul inquired, focusing a wretched smile on the teenager once more. "Perhaps you should try screaming again."

In an instant she lunged for him, one arm extended as though she intended to tear his skin from throat to ribs. Armin took heed to her advice, crying out a second time and threw himself to the side. The ghoul missed his neck, catching his jawline instead and creating a ragged gash up to his temple.

Armin slapped a hand to his wound, gritting his teeth as blood ran between his fingers. Frantically, he struggled to his knees, screaming once more as a sharp pain exploded throughout his right calf. Crashing to the ground, he turned and fought down a sob upon seeing the ghoul's kagune twisting into his muscle. The golden tentacle stuck to him like a parasite, breaking through the other side of his calf and writhing about, shooting blood, skin, and muscle tissue about like confetti.

Before he could howl in pain, the ghoul wrenched her fist into his mouth, hissing fiercely. Crouching over him, she raised her free hand to her lips, lifting a finger and making soft hushing sounds.

"You can scream when I chase you, but not when I eat you. I don't like noisy food," she murmured, blinking almost sympathetically. "Could you imagine eating a burger when the cow is just sitting there, talking to you and discussing the weather or some crap like that?" The ghoul shook her head at the ridiculous thought. "That's why they're ground up first. Silenced and then savored. So keep yourself quiet, just like this."

Armin shook his head, made a split second decision and bit down on the ghoul, feeling a brief wave of nausea and then satisfaction as he heard his attacker's shriek. He wriggled out from under her, helplessly clawing at the ground and dragging himself against the pavement.

"Wretched boy!" the ghoul snarled, and her kagune whipped through the air like a wasp's stinger, preparing the finishing blow.

Armin could hear it shooting towards him, and he closed his eyes, sending up a prayer, pleading to any higher entity that was listening. A miracle was a lot to ask for and perhaps his life didn't warrant such a heavenly act but he would do anything. He'd take anything, just so long as he didn't die. The Grim Reaper's scythe still hadn't fallen yet, there was still time.

"Please," Armin whispered hoarsely. "Please."

An earsplitting crash suddenly exploded in his eardrums, and Armin's eyes snapped open, heart leaping into his throat and choking him. His imminent death was halted for a moment as the ghoul froze, listening to the sudden cacophony that had interrupted her. It was a symphony of screeching metal, like construction beams falling to the pavement from a great height just a few blocks away.

Armin turned back to his attacker, knowing a few loud noises wouldn't scare her off. He was still dinner. However, to his complete and utter shock, he found the ghoul had ceased her attack entirely. Her arms were at either side of her, limp with defeat, as well as her kagune that had wilted like a dead flower. Her red eyes stared numbly into the blackness above and protruding from her chest was a large, thick hand, fingers flexed and coated in red.

Armin's vision blurred and he tilted to the side, willing himself not to be sick. Unfortunately, his stomach lurched as the bitter stench of blood invaded his nostrils and he threw himself forward, vomiting across the gravel. He heaved again and another bite of pain struck his leg, seizing his entire body. Although he struggled to keep his eyes open, determined to see the face of his savior, another bout of agony tore through him and fell to the ground.

"Ah, hell," he heard a deep voice mutter, partly alarmed and partly sympathetic. He felt a gentle arm slide under his knees and another behind his shoulders, lifting him into the air. There was a long, exasperated sigh against the top of his head before he succumbed completely to the darkness.

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A/N: There's number one. I'm not sure how many chapters I plan on making this, however, I do hope to stay dedicated and update fairly regularly. Leave reviews telling what you think. It's greatly appreciated. ^^ Come back soon.


	2. Luck of Unfortunate Souls

_A/N: I thank Corina O for their review. I'm glad you found the first chapter interesting. ^^_

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Chapter 2 – Luck of Unfortunate Souls

A steady beeping woke him, but the heavy smell of disinfectant and sickness was what pried his eyes open.

Armin inhaled sharply and blinked, willing his eyes to focus on his surroundings. His entire body was sore and rebelled against every wish to move, bringing an aching pain when it did. When he attempted to raise an arm to brush his bangs from his eyes, Armin found an IV had been inserted into the dorsal side of his hand.

"You're finally awake," a smooth voice stated, pulling his attention to the right. A woman clad in white stood beside him, a clipboard in her hand while she jotted down notes. She gave him a brief smile, murmuring, "The doctor will be here to check up on you in just a moment. How are you feeling?"

Armin attempted to swallow the dry patch in his throat before replying hoarsely, "Not too good."

The nurse looked sympathetic and carefully scanned the monitor beside his bed, adding a few more things onto her clipboard before backing out of the room.

Armin focused his attention on the dim ceiling, trying not to think about the numbness he felt in his right leg. He'd been stabbed by a kagune, hadn't he? After taking a truly stupid shortcut through a dark alley set up for an obvious tragedy, he'd been cornered by a ghoul.

Armin closed his eyes, fighting down the urge to strike his fists against his already sore body. He could feel a wad of bandages plastered against the left side of his face where the ghoul had tore a gash through his skin. Despite all the idiocy, it was a wonder his prayers had been answered. He'd been saved, but by who he still didn't know. All he could remember were long fingers twisted deep within his attacker and the silence of death. After that, his memory was fuzzy, but bits and pieces seemed keen to remind him of the sensation of being carried to safety. Had his savior spoken or was that just empty space his mind wanted to fill?

"Our patient is conscious."

Armin turned to the doorway and the man walking in, taking in his pristine, white coat and creased eyes that smiled despite Armin's worn condition.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Akiyama," he greeted warmly, stopping beside Armin's bed and folding his hands together. He looked like one of those doctors who chose to find a bright side to everything. 'So maybe you were attacked by a ghoul, but you were lucky and escaped. Do not fear, though. Despite getting a kagune through the leg and a gash across your face that has the potential of turning into a ragged scar, you survived. Your nightmares will be crimson works of art that will leave you prone to bolting upright and shrieking, but the possibility of being the center of the news for a day or two is high. Picture it: The scrawny little twerp who escaped a raging, man-eating terror.'

Armin grimaced at the small performance his mind was acting out and forced a weak smile in the doctor's direction. "How... How bad is it all? My condition, I mean?"

The elderly man nodded thoughtfully, glancing towards the nurse who moved quickly around Armin, checking his IV and carefully inspecting the gauze across his face. Finally, she lifted the pale sheets from around his leg, stepping aside for the doctor to look.

"Your condition could be worse," the doctor admitted, slowly unwrapping the strips of bandage from around the teen's calf. "However, considering you were the victim of a ghoul attack, you must consider yourself lucky. After all, you were found alive. Unconscious, but alive."

Armin nodded, feebly lifting his head to glimpse the severity of his wounds, but his body ached in protest so he fell back against his pillows in resignation. Frowning, he murmured, "Who brought me here? What did they say?"

"Honestly, we're not sure who found you," Dr. Akiyama murmured, pulling the last of the bandages from Armin's leg and nodding thoughtfully. "We received an anonymous tip claiming they'd come across the victim of a ghoul attack. They said you were lying in an alley just a block from the hospital, unconscious and losing blood fast, but you still had a pulse."

The blonde narrowed his eyes, mumbling, "I wasn't a close to the hospital when I was attacked. I vaguely remember being carried, but that's it."

The doctor shrugged as he began applying a fresh roll of bandages to his patient's leg. "There was a blood trail leading deeper into the alley. However, as to who brought you here, your guess is as good as mine. We got the call and responded as soon as possible. The police did follow the blood trail and found the ghoul that attacked you." Dr. Akiyama met Armin's gaze. "She had a puncture wound through her chest. CCG investigators arrived at the scene to take care of the rest of the situation, but when it comes to your mystery savior, no one has any ideas."

Armin's face fell in disappointment and he exhaled slowly. He winced upon feeling a twinge in his leg, to which his doctor quietly apologized, inquiring about his pain.

"It's not so bad," Armin replied softly. "I'm sure I can thank medication for that, though."

The doctor smiled faintly, finishing up his work and focusing on Armin. "Unfortunately, that's true. I won't lie; you'll experience a lot of discomfort once we send you home. You'll be on crutches for some time, two to three weeks or so, depending on how well you're healing. We'll have you come back in for regular check ups."

Armin nodded, forcing another smile. "Thanks for everything."

Dr. Akiyama shook his head, responding quietly, "You're a very lucky young man. Come to think of it, we had another patient like yourself come in around the same time as you. It seems like luck is shining on unfortunate souls tonight."

Armin's eyes widened in alarm and he swallowed painfully. "Are they alright?"

"He's doing fine now," Dr. Akiyama answered with a relieved smile. "There was an accident at a construction sight. From what I heard, a metal structure collapsed and ended up killing one of two students caught beneath it."

Armin nodded once, about to inquire who the two were when there came an enraged shout from the hall.

"Like hell I'm not going in there! I know he's awake, the doctor just went in! If you think we're going to wait out here any longer, then—"

There was a shuffling at the door and a younger nurse poked her head in, eyes widened to the point of mild alarm as she murmured, "Dr. Akiyama, there are two eager visitors here for patient Arlert. I wasn't sure if they could enter yet or not."

"Excuse me a moment." Dr. Akiyama bowed his head to Armin before exiting the room. Armin could hear the exchanging of words in the hall, quiet ones, from his doctor no doubt, and the same indignant cries from a very familiar voice.

A few moments later, after the voices had lowered to the same octave, Dr. Akiyama reentered with two others close behind.

"He's in good condition, but you may speak with him," the older man murmured.

Peering around the doctor, Armin smiled in relief upon seeing Eren and Mikasa's faces. Both of them approached him, looking over his bruised figure with concerned eyes. He was just about to greet them when Eren's sharp tone cut through the quiet room.

"Are you an idiot? I told you to come home. I told you," Eren seethed, crossing his arms and glaring at his friend. "You just had to return for that one stupid book. I said getting a bad grade for once wouldn't kill you. Apparently, striving to get good grades is what kills you."

Armin's eyes widened, meeting Eren's dark look before the blond attempted a weak shrug. "I'm sorry?" he offered quietly.

Eren scoffed, turning away and gritting his teeth.

"After failing to find any contacts related to you, police were able to track down two close friends of the family." Dr. Akiyama explained, voice rising in inquiry at the last statement. "The police explained most of the situation and your friends arrived last night, though we couldn't let them see you just yet."

Beside Eren, Mikasa laid a comforting hand on the rigid teen's shoulder before turning a concerned gaze to Armin. "How are you feeling?" she inquired gently, reaching out and stroking the back of his hand, careful not to brush the needle embedded in it.

Armin inhaled carefully and gave a curt nod. "I'm fine." At Mikasa's raised eyebrow, he insisted quickly, "Really. I'm a little sore, and I'm sure being on crutches will be a hassle for awhile, but I'm alive." He attempted a broad grin despite the vicious gash on his cheek. "That's what counts, right?"

Mikasa inclined her head while Eren gave up his concerned scowl for an exasperated smirk, reaching out to give Armin a light pat on the shoulder.

"So you have no idea who saved you, huh?" the green-eyed teen murmured. "The police explained everything to us when we got here and you were sleeping."

Armin shrugged, looking back at Dr. Akiyama. "I couldn't see them all. I was just losing consciousness, but I remember them killing the ghoul and I was picked up..." Armin picked through the scene from that night, searching for a face, a familiar tone in the person's voice, anything, but all he could find was darkness.

"Although we may not know the identity of your mystery savior," Dr. Akiyama broke in, folding his hands together and smiling at the three of them, "your friend is alive, as you said so yourself, and that's what matters. It was good someone came along and defeated the ghoul when they did. I'm not at all certain what they could have used, seeing as regular weapons can't puncture a ghoul's skin."

Armin stiffened, causing Eren to pull his hand away and murmur something softly, but Armin didn't hear. That's right. Ghoul's can't be affected by regular blades because their bodies are too strong. That's what they mention on the news and those late night shows, isn't it?

"The most probable explanation is your savior knocked the ghoul unconscious before carrying you to safety." Dr. Akiyama nodded thoughtfully. "After that, more ghouls could have arrived and finished off your attacker. That would explain the puncture wound. Ghouls have been tearing each other apart over territory for ages, so this is probably another one of those cases." Dr. Akiyama fixed Armin with a curious look. "Unless you remember something different?"

Armin hadn't yet explained in detail what he remembered. Before, he would have easily relayed the information about a hand ripping through the ghoul like tissue paper but now...

The blonde shook his head, responding solemnly, "I blacked out just before anyone came along. I can barely remember the sensation of being carried to where I was found, but that's it."

That was all he could say. He couldn't reveal the whole story now, not when it was obvious a mere human hadn't knocked the ghoul out and territorial beasts had used their own kagune to end its life. His mind might have been blurry, but he remembered the broad fingers twisting through the ghoul's chest and breaking through in a fistful of blood. No human could have done that.

Honestly, it was possible a member from the CCG could have done it, but why an investigator would carry him to safety before disappearing was beyond him. After all, Dr. Akiyama had said the CCG arrived at the scene, so why hadn't his savior shown himself yet? They usually checked up on the few they saved from ghoul attacks, didn't they?

"Police will ask about your story a little later." Dr. Akiyama''s voice interrupted Armin's bewildered train of thought, bringing him back to reality. "The CCG will probably stop by to visit as well, but that will be after you get a little more sleep."

Mikasa and Eren stood, patting their friend on the shoulder or giving his hand a gentle squeeze before exiting the room, promising to be there when he awoke. The nurse left a moment later after checking Armin's IV and bandages for a second time, and was followed by Dr. Akiyama who turned to deliver a final, cheery smile.

"You must be quite special" he stated proudly. "Not everyone can lay claim to having a guardian angel."

Armin matched the doctor's smile until the older man was gone from sight. Immediately, his face fell and he turned blue, exhausted eyes to the ceiling. "Guardian angel?" he mumbled, words coated in doubt. "That doesn't sound right."


	3. Scream

_A/N: First of all, thank you aki and thejackle123 for your reviews and to anyone else who is following the story or who has favorited it. It's very much appreciated._

 _Second of all, sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I've been working on a few others stories as well as working out little details in this one. When in regards to Tokyo Ghoul's plot, Fatal Error will weave in and out of it. Other events in Tokyo Ghoul may be overlooked completely, depending on where Fatal Error's story will go. As of right now, a few changes will be made, but I don't plan to disregard Tokyo Ghoul altogether._

 _Shingeki no Kyojin's manga may play a few parts in here, as well as Tokyo Ghoul's. Hope you stick along for the bumpy ride, because, quite honestly, I think even I will be in for a few surprises. If you have questions, feel free to ask._

 _Again, thank you, and enjoy the story._

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Chapter 3 - Scream

He was either looking at a hunk of leg muscle or the gooey mess of a liver.

First-Class Investigator Levi stared down at the remains before him and turned away in disgust. Averting his eyes didn't do much good for the crime scene was spread out down the alley and across the street, disappearing into the next alley. Yellow tape cordoned off the area, stretching out across a total distance of four blocks. If Levi was to travel to the opposite end of the crime scene, he'd find random bits and pieces of their victim scattered about like a sick treasure hunt.

Undoubtedly, the work belonged to Scream, the S-Rated ghoul Levi and his partner had been assigned five months prior. The ghoul had originally done most of its killings within the 11th Ward, but as of late, the monster had turned its sights on the 20th Ward.

To Levi, it appeared as though a tedious amount of shit was beginning to pile up in their Ward.

"This is the fourth one for the week," came the low, thoughtful voice of his partner, and Levi turned, nodding to the older man.

Erwin Smith crouched down, eyeing the crimson globs and splatters with a blank face. After a few moments of silence, he pulled himself upright and turned to his partner.

"Everyone has been noticing the increase of ghouls in the 11th Ward," he murmured. "Investigator Marude said they're probably plotting out their next moves and are preparing to launch a full scale attack. It seems as though the more activity there is over there, the more activity we get here."

Levi crossed his arms, scoffing quietly. "Ghouls are fleeing the 11th Ward to avoid the commotion? You would think they'd all be open to a bloodbath, seeing as they could obtain a few bodies to chew on."

"I suppose they don't see the risk when they have a large supply of food in a seemingly harmless Ward," Erwin responded, turning and moving towards the end of the alley. "Still, why they're all deciding to retreat here is somewhat a mystery."

"They like to make us work," Levi growled, shooting his partner a sour look before following. "They enjoy easy prey and incompetent investigators."

"The CCG does what it can."

"Yet we still hear names like binge eater and Jason."

The two stepped out into the street, squinting against the sharp sunlight. Other members of the CCG were moving back and forth, scrutinizing various locations and searching for evidence left by the ghoul. Civilians walked on the edge of the blocked off crime scene, eyeing the commotion with wary gazes.

"Your target sure is an interesting one," a fellow investigator mused, striding up to Levi and Erwin with a short wave. "I do grow jealous on occasion."

"Good morning, Hange," Erwin greeted, bowing his head shortly. "How does everything look to you?"

Hange Zoë, a Rank 1 Investigator was somewhat of an enthusiast when it came to ghouls. The creatures fascinated her and she studied all she could about them. Although fanatical at times, the investigator never failed in her job of apprehending them. Her most recent case had finished only a month prior, and the ghoul she'd been chasing was now in the form of a quinque belonging to another investigator. At the moment, she was without a case, leaving her the freedom to tag along to crime scenes. Her careful eye and quick speculations made her a valuable asset in certain cases.

Investigator Hange slowly pivoted from side to side, frowning at the gore around her. "It was running again," she murmured after a moment. "Grabbed its prey and consumed while it ran. That is its usual procedure, no?"

Levi nodded solemnly, glancing at a streak of crimson across the neighboring building. The idea of an S-Rated ghoul had first surfaced when they'd noticed the pattern within the crime scenes. Always spread out across numerous blocks, the entire body of the victim would be in pieces. Sometimes they would find more remains, but more often than not, only blood and a few chunks of flesh would be the ghoul's parting gift.

"The victim was probably attacked earlier this morning, between five and six, I would say," Hange murmured, even though stating the time of death wasn't necessarily her job. It was simply habit for her to make the calculations. "There isn't enough evidence to determine what the exact cause of death was, whether brutal force or the use of a kagune. I would say kagune is the best bet, however, there hasn't been any evidence of kagune secretion yet."

Hange looked past Erwin and Levi to where a few investigators were beginning to clear away what little remained of their victim. Her glasses reflected the early afternoon light and her lips parted in a sudden, manic grin.

"This is why I love your case," she sighed, clasping her hands together and chuckling softly. "This ghoul is capable of reaching high speeds and consuming prey at the same time. I've seen fast ghouls, and I mean fast, but this one must be a work of art! What I wouldn't give to watch it in action or study its kagune!"

"Fine, we get it," Levi growled, turning away from the frantic inspector and striding purposefully down the street. Erwin followed after a moment, quickly tailed by Hange.

"It must have intense jaw strength, as well as great agility and endurance," the Rank 1 Investigator continued before releasing a deep sigh. "I envy you for being assigned the elimination of Scream."

"If you hadn't been working on the Surgeon case at the time we were given Scream, I'm sure the ghoul would have been all yours," Erwin responded. "Congratulations, again, for apprehending him."

"He wasn't so hard to figure out," Hange admitted, situating her glasses as they slid awkwardly down her nose. "His movements were predictable, and his daily routine became easy to track. The only reason it took so long to take Surgeon down was because it appeared he could lead us to more ghouls. It was almost like he was part of an organization."

"An organization of ghouls is the last thing we need," Levi interjected sourly. However, as much as he hated to admit it, an organization seemed to be appearing fast. Investigator Marude had said so himself during the last meeting.

 _Just what are those bastards planning?_ Levi wondered, scowling at the various theories his mind was throwing out. _What's going down in the 11th Ward?_

"Quit your scowling, Levi," Hange chided, breaking apart Levi's thoughts as she grinned brightly at him. "Once I get to my studies and experiments, we'll know everything there is to know about ghouls."

"I thought the higher ups specifically ordered you not to perform any experiments?" Erwin inquired, glancing at Hange with narrowed eyes.

"They did," Hange replied with a slight shrug. "Just as they denied my suggestions to look into the facility Surgeon would visit from time to time. They see it all as a waste of time, I suppose. Or perhaps they believe the knowledge we have now is enough."

"Perhaps they don't want a Rank 1 Investigator meddling with the jobs of others," Levi pointed out in a dark tone, slowing to a halt on the edge of their crime scene. "If you're so hell bent on learning more about the monsters, why not join Doctor Chigyou in the Laboratory Division?"

"What, don't you appreciate my company?" Hange demanded in mock disappointment. "I suppose I enjoy things in the field better. Facing ghouls head on delivers a stronger thrill, wouldn't you say?"

"Perhaps they don't want another incident like Jason's," Levi continued, ignoring Hange's words. "Tormenting a ghoul until you break its limits and then get slaughtered by your own test subject? Do you see that as your end?"

"It's nice to know you worry sometimes," Hange mumbled in resignation, coaxing a fraction of a smile from Erwin. Spinning in front of the two, Hange raised her hand in a salute and delivered a broad grin. "I'll see you both later. It's about time I got back to Moblit before he begins fretting as to where I've vanished. He's also been looking into assignments, so perhaps you'll both soon be aiding me in my own troubles."

"Let's hope not," Levi responded dryly.

Hange laughed shortly and turned away, returning in the direction they'd just come from. "Good luck with your target," she called before turning to look over her shoulder. "I mean that, okay?"

"Thank you," Erwin responded. "Take care, Hange."

Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance and crossed his arms, glaring at Hange's retreating figure. "Envies us for being assigned this case," he muttered, echoing the female investigator's previous complaint. "Shit-glasses doesn't know what she's talking about."

"She means well, you know that," Erwin stated quietly. "This case has been difficult for you, and the higher ups have already voiced their concerns as to whether or not you're still suitable for the job."

Levi glared at his partner. "Those bastards know they can't afford to pull me from this case."

"They can if you don't have a clear mind," Erwin argued. "It's been three weeks since our team encountered Scream in the 11th Ward, yet the higher ups still fear you've been unstable since that mission."

In front of him, Erwin's partner exhaled slowly and adverted his eyes. "Do they honestly believe I'm unstable?" he mused in a sour voice. "Have I given them a reason to believe that? They like to be presumptuous when in regards to the feelings of others. They don't see a Dove looking to avenge his fallen comrades, but a broken man unable to face off against a ghoul without pissing himself."

Erwin frowned sympathetically and turned back to the crime scene left by Scream. "The more busy our target, the easier it will be to track."

"It can't run forever," Levi agreed, following his partner's gaze. "Sooner or later, it's going to hit a dead end. When that happens, we'll finish what that monster started in the 11th Ward, only this time, I'll cut its throat before it has the chance to scream."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

A/N: Thank you for reading. I always like to know what you guys think, so reviews are welcome. If you have questions or any corrections by chance (a few things may not be too accurate), please let me know.

On another note, if anyone is interested, I have posted a Free! Iwatobi Swim Club and Tokyo Ghoul two-shot entitled Fishbowl of Five. It's not complete yet, but will be quite soon.

Have a great day and I'll see you soon.


	4. Vigilante

_A/N: Thank you Corina O for your review. Hope you continue to find Fatal Error cool and interesting. ^^ And a thank you to everyone else who return to read even after such long waits for new chapters._

 _Although this chapter took forever to be posted, I can happily say I have the next few chapters plotted out. Thanks to AutumnMobile12, I was given more ideas and advice (plus fanart...?), so the story is on its way. AutumnMobile12 is sort of a co-writer by this point I suppose. I still write everything, but I get plenty of input and help from her._

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul or Shingeki no Kyojin._

 _-/-\\-|-/-\\-_

Chapter 4 – Vigilante

"Aren't you going to finish that?"

Armin's head snapped upright in response to the inquiry, and he blinked dubiously, scattering troubled thoughts and assessing his friend's words.

"Um, yeah, I will," the blonde murmured, halfheartedly prodding the mostly untouched slice of cake before him. "Unless you want it."

Eren raised a skeptical eyebrow at his friend and shook his head. "No, I got it for you, remember? Come on, it's your birthday. You can finally walk on your own two feet again and tossed out those damn crutches. Celebrate a little."

"He's right, Armin," Mikasa added. "Enjoy today."

The three friends were seated at a table in the small café Anteiku, a cozy place Eren had been visiting for the past few months. Ever since Armin's run in with the ghoul, both Eren and Mikasa had been doing everything they could to ease their friend's troubles. The trip to the coffee shop was in celebration of both Armin's birthday and freedom from his handicap.

"I am enjoying myself," Armin insisted, looking to either friend with a nervous smile. "I'm not having a bad time or anything, it's just that my mind is a little cluttered, that's all."

Eren and Mikasa shared a quick look, before Mikasa murmured, "Is something bothering you?"

Armin scraped some cake onto his fork and took a bite, chewing slowly while pondering his next words. _Yes, I've been bothered ever since I was attacked by that ghoul, but of course that's nothing strange. It's not every day someone is attacked by a man-eating creature and walks away._

The blonde pulled his eyebrows together in consideration. Okay, so perhaps he didn't walk away, but that was just it. That was the problem. If someone had carried him just close enough to the hospital, why not go the entire distance and bring him to the Emergency Room? Were they concerned about how much stress was being put on his body while being carried? If that was the case, why carry him at all? Was it to get away from the ghoul who'd attacked him?

"Armin, are you still on Earth?" Eren piped up, waving a quick hand in front of his friend's face. "Seriously, what's going on with you?"

Armin stabbed another bite of cake, shaking his head. "It's nothing. At least, it shouldn't be. I'm probably being too suspicious."

"About what?" Mikasa gently coaxed, taking a drink from her cup of coffee. "You can tell us."

With a deep inhale, Armin pushed away the dessert and folded his hands together, eyeing both his friends. In a faint voice, he said, "I may be overreacting, but I want you two to be honest with me, okay?"

Eren pushed the neglected cake to the right and leaned forward, glancing at Mikasa. "We'll do that."

After setting down her warm beverage, Mikasa nodded in agreement.

Bowing his head in thanks, Armin began to speak. "In the hospital, Dr. Akiyama said they received an anonymous call giving my location and the extent of my injuries. There was a trail of blood leading to where I'd been attacked, and the ghoul responsible had been killed."

"Yeah, that's right," Eren responded with a puzzled look. "CCG investigators later arrived and took care of everything. When they came to talk to you in the hospital, they said it had probably been a territorial dispute and that's what had done the ghoul in."

Armin shook his head, nervously lacing his fingers together. "I don't think it was an issue of territory," he murmured quietly. "That ghoul had been killed from a puncture wound to her chest. Dr. Akiyama said it was likely she'd just been knocked out, that's all I'd seen, and that another ghoul had finished her off, but..."

"What, Armin?" Mikasa coaxed gently. "But what?"

"Just before I passed out, I saw... a _hand_ go right through her. Her killer wrenched his arm into her back and tore through her." Armin closed his eyes with a grimace. "And then that same killer carried me to the hospital and called for help."

From across the table, Eren made a noise between that of a scoff and an exclamation of surprise. "Come on, Armin," he protested. "Both Dr. Akiyama and the investigators said another ghoul killed her, so you can't be suggesting that it was a ghoul who saved you. That doesn't make any sense."

"I know it sounds completely nuts," Armin exclaimed in bewilderment, "But that's what I saw! I may have been on the verge of unconsciousness, but I know that's what I witnessed. After that, I was picked up and carried to the hospital, and I know it's unlikely a ghoul would do that, so that's why I'm having problems with all of it, okay?"

Behind the counter, one of the waiters dropped a cup he'd been handling, bringing Armin's rant to a halt as an explosion of glass tore through the café. Both Eren and Mikasa shot hesitant looks over their shoulders at the other civilians within the room. A few were looking in their direction with puzzled stares, but no one else seemed bothered by the sudden outburst. The teen who'd accidentally broken the coffee mug was nodding sheepishly beneath the evil eye of his co-worker as he sunk to the floor to sweep up the mess.

"Armin, are you sure?" Mikasa began quietly as Anteiku's atmosphere slowly regained its calm, mundane aura. "I wasn't there, so I can't claim to know what happened, but just remember that it was dark, you were losing blood, and you were probably in shock."

"Plus, a ghoul saving a human... that's never happened," Eren added softly. "When was the last time you heard of a ghoul aiding a human being?"

"You both think I'm being paranoid," Armin interrupted glumly.

"We're just looking out for you," Mikasa corrected, placing her hand over her friend's and giving it a quick squeeze. "We don't want you to go out searching for trouble, okay? Tell the truth, you were going to return to the crime scene to find something to prove your case."

Armin opened his mouth to protest but withered under the skeptical gazes of both his friends. With a sigh, the blonde let his attention slide to the uneventful world outside the window. "I was just going to pass by for a few seconds."

"Just forget about it, Armin," Eren replied shortly. "You're alive, out of the hospital, and celebrating your sixteenth birthday, so just forget about everything that happened last month. A human knocked out the ghoul and a few more finished her off because they wanted the territory, case closed."

Without looking at either of them, Armin ground his teeth together and followed a leaf's haphazard descent to the pavement behind the window. "Sure, I suppose."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

"What were you thinking, moron?"

The receiver of the harsh reprimand flinched as he emptied a dust pan of glass into a nearby recycling bin. Stammering an uneasy reply, he turned to his co-worker as she strode into Anteiku's kitchen.

"You agreed to work here, so do us a favor and quit being so pathetic," the scowling girl muttered, waving a dismissive hand at the teen before her. "If you can't handle serving people, then—"

"It's not that," the dark-haired waiter interrupted nervously. "Didn't you hear them out there, Touka? Those three high school students were talking about ghouls, and the one swears he was saved by one."

"So what?" Touka retorted, crossing her arms with an icy glare. "The blonde was on the news awhile back. He was cornered by a ghoul but was saved and carried to the hospital. An anonymous civilian saved him, and Doves later found the ghoul was killed. Quit worrying about it, stupid Kaneki. Our only concern should be the fact there's a larger number of Doves in our Ward now."

"But he said he saw a hand go through the ghoul!" Kaneki exclaimed before his gaze dropped to the floor. "Is it possible a ghoul saved him? After all, Yoshimura decided to help me and let me stay here."

"It's none of your damn business," Touka snapped. "Yoshimura hasn't heard anything about vigilante ghouls aiding people. Besides, you're part ghoul, so Yoshimura felt sympathetic for you. Don't think any of us would do the same for a human."

Kaneki brought his eyes to Touka's before nodding shortly. He supposed it was true, but after everything in the last month with Rize and starting to work for Anteiku, his view on ghouls had changed. Yoshimura hadn't proved to be the bloodthirsty beast he'd initially assumed all ghouls were. Touka, too, even if she had beat the crap out of him more than once.

"Why are you even concerning yourself with it?" Touka muttered. "What difference does it make if a ghoul helped a human?"

Kaneki turned to place the broom back in its closet, pondering the question. What did it matter to him? Would he be relieved if what he'd heard proved to be correct? Would he be optimistic towards the idea of more ghouls helping humans, that they weren't all bad, just like those at Anteiku?

"I guess I was just thinking it might be kind of nice," Kaneki responded sheepishly. "A ghoul going out of their way to help people, I mean."

Before him, Touka raised a skeptical eyebrow and clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You idiot."

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

Gravel crunched beneath steady footfalls as a figure stepped from the empty sidewalk and into a narrow alley. They squinted at the dark rooftops, waiting for movement other than their own. The alley was still, an almost discouraging sight, but the figure shrugged it off.

They came to a halt beside a dumpster just as a frigid breeze wrapped around them, urging them to curl their lip in disgust as the stench of garbage filled their nostrils. Some left over police tape fluttered from where it had gotten caught by the dumpster leg, but aside from its quiet flapping, silence accompanied the unmoving scenery.

With a troubled exhale, the concerned student ran his fingers through his hair while making an attempt to sort his thoughts.

"What am I doing here?" he muttered. "It's been a month, so most of the evidence is gone by now. You should have checked it out at the beginning of last month as soon as most of the Doves had cleared out."

Snorting impatiently, the teen kicked through the loose gravel, sending a few rocks clattering against the side of the dumpster. "Of course, what business is it of yours? When you're not standing in abandoned crime scenes talking to yourself, you're spending time at home or with your friends enjoying your normal life. That's what you want, isn't it?"

"Even outside of school, you're as dull as ever, Yaeger."

Eren spun around to see the owner of the scathing tone a few yards behind him, a bemused sneer plastered below her freckled cheeks. The teen softly cursed himself for not being attentive, but his cluttered mind hadn't registered the extra pair of footsteps, and the dumpster had masked any sent.

"Ymir," he muttered with a curt nod. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been trying to get a chance to talk to you," the other teen responded before adding a long sigh. "Work has been so demanding lately, I haven't had the time to attend school. Whenever I was free, you were never around and I couldn't talk to you about this at school. I left work early today and spotted you and your buddies leaving that coffee shop, so I followed you here."

"What do you want?" Eren inquired, green eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Ymir extended her hands, motioning to the alley around them with slender fingers. "I heard a story on the news awhile back regarding a certain blonde you and I both know. It was quite the chilling tale, gruesome even, until you reached the end."

Eren fixated a glare on his classmate. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, most of our workers do an efficient job when it comes to nabbing research specimen," Ymir responded before her face twisted into a disapproving scowl. "So you can probably imagine what a state I was in when one of our own returned, not with a body, but with an infuriatingly short recollection involving a defenseless student and a rabid ghoul."

"Armin was saved by someone from Reform?" Eren murmured dubiously. "How is he still alive then? You're not exactly the most charitable band of thieves."

Ymir's lip twitched and Eren saw her fist clench momentarily before she growled, "Watch it, Yaeger. That's your family you're talking about, not to mention your only form of self-defense. I don't think you're expressing the proper amount of gratitude."

The boy raised his shoulders, looking momentarily bewildered before inquiring, "What's the problem, then? It sounds as though Armin's savior willingly let him go, and it's not like Armin remembers very much. Who was it who saved him, anyway?"

"Armin doesn't remember very much?" Ymir scoffed, ignoring Eren's last question. "Not remembering very much doesn't help us, Yaeger. You either have memory of something, even the smallest detail, or nothing at all. Armin's smart. He'll start putting pieces together, make an attempt to track down who saved him, and discover everything."

"You think he's going to stumble across the corporation?" Eren murmured thoughtfully. "Ymir, even if that happens, turn him away. Make up stories and throw him off the trail, but don't let him offer himself up as a test subject."

"I don't give a damn if he wants to be a guinea pig!" Ymir spat, eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm worried he's going to lead Doves to Reform and then you know who will have my head! Hell, he'll probably have both our heads, your dad's, too."

Eren blinked in alarm, opening his mouth to protest before thinking better than to argue. He could understand Ymir's concerns, especially when he'd just been convincing Armin to let the entire ghoul business go. He didn't want his friend to start digging through the matters of the man-eating creatures simply because no good would come of it, but now that he knew it was someone from Reform who saved him...

"I know you don't want to hear this, but Armin needs to be taken out of the picture," Ymir spoke in an eerily calm voice. "I won't risk Krista or anyone else in the corporation just because some brat couldn't keep his nose out of our affairs. I'll do the job myself, and I assure you it will be qui—"

A blur of movement stopped the teen mid-sentence, and she whipped her arm to the side, quickly blocking the punch Eren had been aiming towards her left temple. Feeling sharp knuckles against her arm, she fell back a few feet, raising her hands in surrender.

"Calm down," Ymir muttered. "I swear, you'd think I was suggesting _you_ finish the shrimp off."

"You're not going to touch him," Eren seethed, curling his fingers and returning to a firm stance. "I will talk to him. I'll tell him to let everything go, and you will not lay so much as breath on him."

Ymir snorted in frustration. "You think you can get through to him, simple as that? Like I said, Armin's smart enough to figure out everything, so I highly doubt he'll give up every hunch and theory just because you'll ask nicely."

"I'll convince him." Eren repeated, stressing each word through gritted teeth. "I'll make sure he doesn't mention ghouls, let alone do extensive research and discover Reform. In time, he'll be back to his regular, straight-A life and ghouls will only be tragic stories on TV."

His classmate's face twisted from a grimace to unamused doubt, but she didn't look ready to push the issue further. Instead, she crossed her arms and gave him a stern glare, earning one in return. "Fine," she snapped. "But if I discover he's been looking into us, if he should so much as whisper about ghouls in his sleep, I'm going to tear his throat out."

Eren felt his insides twist into a bitter knot as he watched Ymir turn on one heel and stride back in the direction she'd arrived. As she turned onto the street and disappeared, he groaned in exasperation and rubbed his temples to ease the growing headache.

"Always nice to talk," he murmured.

-/-\\-|-/-\\-

 _A/N: So… Armin makes some theories, Kaneki worries, Eren investigates, and Ymir threatens. Just a casual day for the protagonists._

 _Thanks for reading. The next chapter is when the games begin._


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